Recent Posts by Mark Fleming

Mark Fleming is the chief economist for First American Financial Corporation and leads First American’s Decision Sciences team.

How Will Rising Mortgage Rates Impact House-Buying Power?

By Mark Fleming on October 26, 2021
In August, year-over-year nominal house price appreciation reached 20.7 percent, the third consecutive month it has set a new record. According to our Real House Price Index (RHPI), which measures housing affordability in the context of changes in consumer house-buying power, incorporating changes in household income, mortgage rates and nominal ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

Do Rising House Prices Help or Hurt the Housing Market?

By Mark Fleming on October 15, 2021
Housing market potential strengthened modestly in September, increasing a 0.4 percent compared with August, according to our Potential Home Sales Model. The slight increase means that on a year-over-year basis, housing market potential is now nearly 9 percent higher than in September 2020, when the housing market’s summer rebound was accelerating, ... Read More

Interest Rates Homeownership Potential Home Sales

Homes More Affordable Today Than During Previous Housing Peak in Each of the Top 50 Markets

By Mark Fleming on September 28, 2021
In July, housing affordability continued its decline as year-over-year nominal house price appreciation reached a record 20 percent, vastly outpacing the increase in house-buying power compared with a year ago. The Real House Price Index (RHPI) measures affordability in the context of changes in consumer house-buying power, incorporating changes ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

How Does Delta Variant-Fueled Economic Uncertainty Impact Housing Market Potential?

By Mark Fleming on September 22, 2021
Housing market potential continued to strengthen in August, according to our Potential Home Sales Model, increasing 0.05 percent compared with July. The market potential for existing-home sales is now nearly 10 percent higher than in August of 2020, when the housing market’s summer rebound was ramping up following the initial pandemic-driven ... Read More

Interest Rates Homeownership Potential Home Sales

Today's House Prices Are Over 40 Percent More Affordable Than The Housing Boom Peak

By Mark Fleming on August 30, 2021
The Real House Price Index (RHPI) measures affordability in the context of changes in consumer house-buying power, incorporating fluctuations in household income, mortgage rates and nominal house prices. In June, housing affordability declined on a year-over-year basis for the fourth month in a row, following two years of increasing affordability. ... Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Affordability

How the ‘Delta Dip’ Boosted Housing Market Potential

By Mark Fleming on August 20, 2021
Housing market potential strengthened in July, according to our Potential Home Sales Model, increasing 1.3 percent compared with June. It is now nearly 16 percent higher than in July of last year, when the housing market’s summer rebound began, following the initial pandemic-driven decline in the spring. Read More

Interest Rates Homeownership Potential Home Sales